diff --git a/report_job_log.py b/report_job_log.py
index 436d07d..d589dab 100755
--- a/report_job_log.py
+++ b/report_job_log.py
@@ -82,7 +82,13 @@ def status_phrase(status):
         key = DEFAULT_STATUS
     if key in STATUS_PHRASES:
         return STATUS_PHRASES[key]
-    return "finished with status `" + status.strip() + "`"
+    # Backticks removed, not escaped: the verbatim value goes inside a code
+    # span in a **bold** header, and a backtick in it closes the span early --
+    # the rest of the status then renders as markdown. Nothing hostile is
+    # expected here (`${{ job.status }}` is written by whoever wrote the
+    # workflow), but this repo is public and consumed by four others, and a
+    # branch name or matrix value could reach this argument later.
+    return "finished with status `" + status.strip().replace("`", "") + "`"
 
 
 def missing_log_note(path, phrase):
diff --git a/test_report_job_log.py b/test_report_job_log.py
index 0240806..4334e32 100755
--- a/test_report_job_log.py
+++ b/test_report_job_log.py
@@ -313,6 +313,15 @@ class TestStatusPhrase(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(report_job_log.status_phrase("weird"),
                          "finished with status `weird`")
 
+    def test_a_backtick_in_an_unknown_status_cannot_escape_the_code_span(self):
+        """The verbatim value sits in a code span inside a **bold** header, so
+        a backtick in it would close the span and let the rest render as
+        markdown. `${{ job.status }}` is workflow-author-controlled rather than
+        hostile, but this script is public and shared by four repos."""
+        phrase = report_job_log.status_phrase("x` **loud** `y")
+        self.assertEqual(phrase, "finished with status `x **loud** y`")
+        self.assertEqual(phrase.count("`"), 2)
+
     def test_default_constant_is_failed(self):
         """Named so that changing it is a deliberate act, not a typo."""
         self.assertEqual(report_job_log.DEFAULT_STATUS, "failed")